Charles Cooper (c1850-)
Charles Cooper was born in 1850 or 1851 in Mottistone, a small village just outside Brighstone on the Isle of Wight. At the time, Brighstone was known by its original name, Brixton. His parents were Isaac Cooper and Elizabeth Ablitt who married in 1849. Charles seems to have been the first born. In 1851 the family was living with Elizabeth's parents, James and Jane Ablitt, in Mottistone. Isaac was working as a farm labourer. Charles married Alice Jane Woods in 1870. In 1871, Charles was living at Grove Road, Ventnor, on the Isle of Wight with his wife, Alice, and their baby daughter, Agnes. Charles was 21, Alice was 18. Agnes was less than a year old. No occupation is recorded for Charles. Also living in the household was 66 year old Joseph Jefferey. Joseph appears to be unrelated to the Coopers. According to the 1861 census, ten years earlier he was living with his wife and children and was working as a gardener. It is likely that Charles' work as a stonemason (something recorded in the 1881 census) led to frequent moves in search of work. Agnes had been born in Rookley in 1871 and their second child, Florence, who was born in 1873, was born in Wroxall. Some time before 1875, the family had returned to Ventnor where their third child, Ernest, was born. But by 1879, the family had finally settled, this time in Shanklin on the east coast of the Isle of Wight. In 1881, Charles and his family lived on Atherley Road in Shanklin (the census records this as in Brading, probably because Shanklin was in Brading Parish). Agnes was 10 years old, Florence was 8 years old, Ernest was 6 years old, Gertrude was 2 years old and Frederick was less than a year old. Charles still worked as a stonemason. In 1882, Alfred was born (their youngest son), followed by Mable in 1884, Ethel in 1886 and Elsie in 1890. By 1891, Charles and his family had moved around the corner to 3 Sydney Villa, Wilton Road in Shanklin. Charles, now 41, still worked as a stonemason. Agnes had left home to work as a house servant, which was perhaps just as well given that they now had a grand total of nine children - and they still hadn't finished! Agnes was 20, Florence 18, Ernest 16, Gertrude 12, Frederick 10, Alfred 9, Mable 7, Ethel 5 and Elsie 1. In 1892, Charles and Alice's tenth and final child, Winnie, was born. There is a family story that Charles helped construct the Victoria Diamond Jubilee Clock Tower in Shanklin, which was erected in 1897 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. Some time between 1891 and 1901, Ernest and Gertrude left home. Gertrude worked as a servant in Shanklin, but Ernest had moved to London. Charles, now 51, was now working as a bricklayer, possibly a step down from his previous work as a stonemason. Children |- |colspan="3" bgcolor="#FFfce0" style="color: #000000;" |'Children of Charles and Alice Cooper' References * Category:Born in Brighstone Category:Married in ... Category:Died in ... Category:Non-SMW people articles